Lawrence Man Arrested In Possible Poisoning Death Of 11-Year-Old Haverhill Girl

A Massachusetts man has been arrested in connection with the death of an 11-year-old girl in what police have been investigating as a possible case of drug poisoning.

Authorities on Saturday announced the arrest of 58-year-old Miguel Rivera, of Lawrence. He was detained on $1 million bond after being charged Friday night with permitting substantial bodily injury to a child and misleading a police investigation.

Sixth-grader Precious Wallaces, of Haverhill, died at a hospital on Dec. 18, three days after being found unresponsive in a Lawrence home. Medical examiners have not yet determined how she died, but The Eagle-Tribune reported that police said they were investigating whether the girl may have ingested the powerful opioid fentanyl.

According to The Eagle-Tribune, Rivera is Wallace's uncle. The newspaper also reported that a caller told a police dispatcher that "a baby ate a bunch of candy" and was bleeding through the nose and mouth.

It wasn't clear if Rivera has an attorney who could respond to the allegations.